Firearm.



E. E. REDPIELD.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED D120. 22, 1910.

1,031,373, I Patented July 2,1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. E. REDFIELD.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1910.

Patented July 2, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wmdg/lzzntor: M i 6 5W IIIII I m a 53k uJLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Patented July2, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Inventor:

E. E. REDFIELD.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 22, 1910.

Attest:

EDWARD E. REDFIELD, OF GLENDALE, OREGON.

FIREARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1912.

Application filed December 22, 1910. Serial No. 598,781.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. REDFIELD, a citizen of the United States,residing in Glendale, in the county of Douglas, in the State of Oregon,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firearms, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates mainly to magazine firearms of the slide-actiontype, in which the operations of extracting the empty shell, cooking thegun and placing a fresh cartridge in the chamber of the barrel areperformed through the movement of a grippiece which moves parallel withthe axis of the barrel, and the several features of improvement havebeen designed with reference to their use together in a firearm of thecharacter referred to, but some of the features of invention are capableof use independently of others and in firearms of different types.

One object of the invention, as applied to a slide-action firearm, hasbeen to provide a lever connection between the slide bar and thebreech-block so that the power exerted, especially during the first partof the opening movement of the firearm, shall be mul tiplied, not onlyfor the purpose of enabling a tightly fitting cartridge shell to bestarted from the chamber of the barrel without difficulty, but also topermit the cocking operation to be effected more easily.

Another object of the invention has been to increase the reliability ofthe safety locking devices, provision being made whereby the sear aswell as the trigger are locked against accidental movement, and wherebythe possibility of release of the hammer until the parts are locked infiring position is wholly eliminated. The slide locking devices are alsoimproved with a viewto making them also absolutely reliable in operationand to preventing the possibility of the opening of the gun before theexplosion of the cartridge in the case of a hang-fire, while at the sametime provision is made for unlocking the slide automatically through theexplosion of the cartridge so that rapid firing is facilitated. Thedanger of explosion of the cartridges within the receiver and ofbattering the noses of the bullets through the churning of theeartridges in the magazine and the receiver as the gun is fired is alsoeliminated, as well as the amming of cartridges within the receiverthrough movement thereof too far to the rear. i

The means whereby these objects of the invention are accomplished andother featurcs of improvement will be more particularly pointed outhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, forpurposes of explanation of the nature of the invention, itis illustratedas embodied in a firearm of the type referred to and in which Figure 1is a view in side elevation of a rifie which is constructed inaccordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view, on a largerscale, partly in elevation and partly in section longitudinally throughthe frame, showing the parts in the position which they assumeimmediately after firing and before the gun is opened. Fig. 3 is a viewin horizontal section on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2.Figs. 4;, 5

and 6 are views similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in successivepositions which they occupy during the opening movement of the slide.Fig. 7 is a view in transverse section on the plane indicated by theline 77 of Fig. 2. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views showing particularlythe inertia block and the slide locking lever with a portion of theframe. Fig. 10 is a detail View showing the breech-block, partly insection, with its appurtenances and the trigger with its associateddevices. Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10, but showing thebreech-block in elevation and the trigger and its associated devices indifferent positions. Fig. 12 is a view in perspective of the startinglever. Fig. 13 is a view in perspective of the cocking lever. Fig. 14 isa view in perspective of the rear end of the slide bar. Fig. 15 is aview in perspective of the trigger safety lock. Fig. 16 is a view inperspective of the trigger. Fig. 17 is a View in perspective of thetrigger lever. Fig. 18 is a view In perspective of the sear.

The barrel a, chambered, as at a, to receive the cartridge, the magazineI) in which the cartridges are placed and are pressed to the rear by aspring follower, not shown, the frame or receiver 0 (except ashereinafter indicated) and the stock cl may all be constructed andarranged in any usual or suitable manner. The frame or receiver 0 isclosed, that is, it has asolid abutment, as at c, in line with thebarrel and with the breech-block when the latter is in firing position,although, in the opening movement of the gun, the breechblock passesrearwardly below the abutment c. The frame or receiver is suitablychambered, as at 0 to permit the proper movement of the breech-block andother parts, as hereinafter explained, and the trigger plate 0 forconvenience in manufacture, is formed separately from the receiver andfits in a slot in the underside thereof, being held in place by screwsat the ends of the trigger plate. The breech-block 6, provided at itsforward end with an extractor and an ejector which may be of usualconstruction, is mounted movably within the frame. the gun is closed itsrear end abuts against the abutment c of the frame, and during theopening movement of the gun the rear end of the breech-block first dropsbelow the abutment c, and then the breech block moves bodily to therear, being supported and moved by means to be described. On its lefthand side, near its forward end, the breech-block e is grooved orrecessed transversely, as at e, to form a shoulder 6 for cooperationwith the slide, as hereinafter described, and on its right hand side,near its lower edge, it is grooved longitudinally, as at 6 the lower lipe cooperating with the trigger lever, as hereinafter described, whilethe upper shoulder 6 cooperates in the usual manner with a longitudinalrib, not clearly shown, on the inner right hand wall of the receiver,near its forward end, so that the forward end of the breech-block isproperly guided and supported during its movement. On the left hand sideof the breech-blook, in rear of the shoulder 6 is pivoted the supporting and starting lever f which has a lug f to cooperate with ashoulder 0 on the innerleft hand side of the receiver and is slotted atits lower end, as at P, to cooperate with the slide bar, as hereinafterdescribed. The cooking lever g is pivoted upon the starting lever f andis provided with a lug g to project through a slot 6 in the left handwall of the breech-block and to cooperate with a shoulder h of thehammer h which is longitudinally movable in the breech block 6.

An actuating hammer spring k is mounted upon the stem h of the Whenwhich has at its extremity a lug k which cooperates with the slotted endf of the supporting and starting lever f, and the slide bar is alsoprovided with a lug 70 to cooperate with the shoulder e of thebreechblock, as hereinafter described.

In order that the relations of other parts to the breech-block may bemore readily understood, the operation of the parts already describedwill now be explained.

It being assumed that the breech-block is in closed or firing position,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and that the gun has been fired, thegrip-piece or fore-end 7c is drawn to the rear. The lug 70 at the rearend of the slide bar is engages the supporting and starting lever f andfirst causes its lug f to bear against the shoulder 0 The starting leverbeing pivoted at f on the breech-block, the continued rearward movementof the slide bar 70 and the consequent movement of the lever f cause Ithe rear end of the breech-block to be thrown down out of line with theabutment 0 and then the breech-block to be moved rearwardly with apowerful leverage, all as clearly shown in Figs. 4: and 5, thus enablingthe user of the gun, without great effort, to start the cartridge fromthe chamber of the barrel even if it should be quite tight therein. Asthe slide bar moves from the posi tion shown in Fig. 4 to the positionshown in Fig. 5 the lever f swings to a position in which itisabout torelease the lug 70 of the slide bar, while the lug k of the slide bar isabout to engage the shoulder e of the breech-block, so that in thecontinued rearward movement of the slide bar, after the cartridge hasbeen started from the chamber of the barrel, the breech-block is movedrearwardly to its full extent and the cartridge shell is withdrawn fromthe chamber of the barrel and ejected through the side opening of theframe in the usual man ner. Eventually, the slide bar, starting leverand breech-block reach the positions represented in Fig. 6. In theforward movement of the slide bar, the lug 70 thereon engages theshoulder 0 forward of the groove 6 and draws the breech-block for-,ward, while the lug k engages the notch f of the starting lever f anddraws it back to .its initial position. As the starting lever reachesits initial position, its lower end bears against the ledge c, whichforms the bottom of the lateral recess in which the slide bar travelsand thereby crowds the breech-block upward against the top of thereceiver and firmly supports the breechblock in firing position. As thestarting lever is swung about its pivot the cocking lever g throws backthe hammer h, compressing the spring k until the hammer is engaged bythe sear It will be observed that the rearward movement of the hammer isquickest while the spring is compressed least and that as thecompression of the spring increases the leverage of the cocking leveralso increases, so that the cooking of the hammer is effected with aminimum of effort.

The slide is locked automatically in its forward position by a slidelocking lever m which is pivoted on the trigger plate and is actuated bya spring m so that its forward end rises behind the extremity of theslide, or rather behind a lug f of the starting lever f which isinterposed between the end of the slide bar and the locking lever, andthereby prevents the rearward movement of the slide until the lockinglever is released. In order to relieve the pivot of the locking leverfrom strain the forward end of the locking lever is provided with a lugm which stands in a corresponding notch m formed in the side of thereceiver. The locking lever is released by upward movement of the safetylatch 91,, the rear end of which projects within the trigger guard, infront of the trigger, in convenient position to be operated by thetrigger finger. This safety latch n is formed on the yielding rear end nof an inertia block if, the rear end of the inertia block underlying therear end of the locking lever m, so that when the safety latch n ispressed upward by the finger the rear end of the locking lever m is alsopressed upward and the forward end is moved downward to release theslide bar. hen the gun is fired a relative forward movement of theinertia block takes place with respect to the frame or receiver and theinclined rear end of the block rides up on an incline of the triggerplate 0 to press the rear end of the locking lever upward and to throwdown the forward end of the locking lever, so that the firing of the gunitself unlocks the slide bar and rapid firing is therefore facilitated.At the same time, as the slide bar is not unlocked automatically untilthe explosion of the cartridge has taken place, and as even in the caseof a hang-fire the explosion of the cartridge will take place before theslide bar can be released by the finger, it is practically impossiblefor the gun to be open when a hang-fire explosion takes place. In theopening movement of the breech-block the.

lower end of the starting lever f strikes a lug n 011 the rear end ofthe inertia block and draws the inertia block to the rear slipping overthe lug a as the rear end of the inertia block drops down when permittedby the projection of the end of the safety latch 11 within the triggerguard.

The cartridge lifter Z, mentioned above, is pivoted at Z and has arearwardly projecting finger with which the rear end of the breecl1blockcooperates as the breechblock reaches its extreme rearward position,causing the forward end of the lifter to be raised in the usual manner.

The trigger mechanism, shown in part in Figs. 26, is illustrated indetail in Figs. 10, 11 and 15-18. The trigger 0 is pivoted at 0 in thetrigger plate and in rear of the trigger is pivoted the trigger safetylatch 7), which is pressed by spring 7) so that its toe p standsnormally in rear of the heel 0 of the trigger 0 and prevents effectivemovement thereof. As will be seen presently, the trigger safety latch palso operates to prevent movement of the sear, and therefore stillfurther prevents the possibility of accidental discharge. The trigger 0does not act directly upon the sear 2', but acts thereon indirectlythrough a trigger lever 7 which is mounted upon the pivot pin 0 of thetrigger 0 but with a slotted or elongated bearing 7-, so that it has alongitudinal as well as a pivotal movement. At its rear end the triggerlever r has a hook r to engage a pin 72 on the trigger safety lock 2)and as will be seen hereinafter, the trigger lever cannot be moved torelease the sear until it has been drawn rearwardly by the operation ofthe trigger safety lock 7). The effective movement of the trigger leverr is accomplished by a shoulder 0 on the trigger which cooperates withthe lower edge r of the trigger lever in rear of the pivot 0, to throwthe forward end of the trigger lever down. On the left hand side of theforward end of the trigger lever are two lugs and 1* which are adaptedto receive between them freely the lip 6* of the breech-block so thatthe breech-block may travel forward and backward without disturbing thetrigger lever. The upper lug r rests upon the lip 6* except when thebreechblock and the trigger lever are in firing position and thereforelocks the trigger lever and the trigger against efi ective movementexcept when the breech-block and the trigger lever are in firingposition. The sear i has on the right hand side of its rear end a lug 2"which stands normally in the plane of the lip 0 so that when thebreechblock is in its forward position and the lug 1* on the triggerlever is clear of the lip a pressure on the trigger throws down theforward end of the trigger lever which carries with it, through contactof the lug r with the lug z" of the sear, the rear end of the sear andreleases the hammer. The function of the lug r is to prevent theaccidental release of the sear by a jar or shock when the breech-blockis nearly in firing position so that the lug r partly overlies and restsupon the lug 2", for as the lug r is still held by contact with the lipe of the breech-block from downward movement at such time, the lug rthen furnishes a support for the lug i so that movement of the sear torelease the hammer is prevented until the breech-block moves into firingposition and carries the lip e from under the lug 1*. The trigger latchp can be moved at any time and the trigger lever can be drawn thereby tothe rear at any time, but as the trigger lever cannot have an effectivemovement until the breech-block is in firing posit-ion both the triggerand the sear are thereby locked against effective movement until thebreech-block is in firing position.

In order that the cartridges in the magazine shall be cushioned so thatthere shall be no danger of explosion of any cartridge in the magazineor of battering of the end of the bullet, through the churning of thecartridges in the magazine at the time of firing, the breech-block isprovided with a yielding stop 5 which is pivoted on a pin .9 in a slotin the underside of the breechblocl: at its forward end with a slottedor elongated bearing 8 and is seated at its rear end, above the plane ofthe pivot, against a yielding plunger 8 The stop is thus held normallyin the position shown in Figs. 10 and 11 with its forward end 8projecting down behind the head of the cartridge in the magazine but iscapable of yielding upwardly so as to permit cartridges to be thrustinto the magazine from the rear as usual. As this stop is springsupported at its rear end, it thus furnishes a yielding cushion for thecartridges which is sufiicient to prevent either the explosion of thecartridges in the magazine through the striking of the primer of oneagainst the nose of the bullet of the cartridge next to the rear, or thebattering of the noses of the bullets against the heads of thecartridges in front. The stop 8 is also provided with :1 lug s whichprojects down- \vardly from the rear end of the pivoted stopsufficiently to prevent the last cartridge which is pushed into themagazine from the rear from being forced back into the receiver farenough to interfere with the proper movement of the moving parts.

, Although the several features of improvement are shown and describedherein as oooperating with one another for the attainment of the generalpurpose of improving the gun as a whole, it is obvious that they are notall necessarily used together but that some of them might be used incooperation with other features of construction than those shown andfurthermore that the invention is not limited to the precise details ofconstruction and arrangement shown, since many of such details may bevaried more or less to suit different conditions of use.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a firearm, the combination of a frame chambered to receive thebreech-block, a breech-block movable therein, a slide bar, a leverconnection between the slide bar and the breech-block by which themovement of the breech-block is started, and a direct connection betweenthe slide bar and the breechblock by which the movement of thebreechblock is continued.

2. In a firearm, the combination of a frame chambered to receive thebreech-block and having a substantially vertical shoulder, abreech-block movable therein, a slide bar, and a lever engaging thebreech-block and the slide bar and having a bearing against saidshoulder on the frame in a horizontal plane different from that in whichit engages the breech-block, whereby the breech-block is startedrearwardly with a powerful leverage.

3. In a firearm, the combination of a frame chambered to receive thebreech-block and having a substantially vertical shoulder, abreech-block movable therein, a slide bar, and a lever pivoted on thebreeclrblock, engaged by the slide bar and having a bearing against saidshoulder on the frame in a horizontal plane difierent from that of itspivot, whereby the breech-block is started rearwardly with a powerfulleverage.

4. In a firearm, the combination of a frame chambered to receive thebreech-block and having a substantially vertical shoulder, abreech-block movable therein, a slide bar, and a lever pivoted on thebreech-block, having at its upper end a lug to bear against saidshoulder on the frame and having its lower end slotted for engagement bythe slide bar, whereby the breech-block is started rearwardly with apowerful leverage.

5. In a firearm, the combination of a frame chambered to receive thebreech-block and having a substantially horizontal shoulder, asubstantially vertical shoulder and an abutment for the breech-block, abreech-block movable therein, a slide bar, and a lever engaging thebreech-block and the slide bar and having a bearing against thehorizontal shoulder on the frame to start the breechblock downwardly andalso having a bearing against the substantially vertical shoulder in aplane different from that of its axis to start the breech-blockrearwardly.

6. In a firearm, the combination of a frame chambered to receive thebreech-block,

a breechblock movable therein, a slide bar and a lever connectionbetween the slide bar and the breech-block, the breech-block having atransverse shoulder and the slide bar having a lug to cooperate withsaid shoulder in the continued movement of the breechblock.

7. In a firearm, the combination of a frame chambered to receive thebreechblock, a breech-block movable therein, a slide bar and a leverpivoted on the breechblock, having a lug to bear against a shoulder onthe frame and adapted to be engaged by the slide bar, the breech-blockhaving a transverse shoulder and the slide, bar having a lug tocooperate therewith in the continued movement of the breech-block.

8. In a firearm, the combination of a frame chambered to receive thebreechblock, a breech-block movable therein, a hammer carried by thebreech-block, a slide bar, a starting lever pivoted on the breechblockand engaged by the slide bar, a cocking lever carried by the startinglever and adapted to engage the hammer, and a scar to engage the hammer.

9. In a firearm, the combination of a frame chambered to receive thebrecchblock, a breech-block movable longitudinally therein, a hammermovable longitudinally in the breech-block, a slide bar, a startinglever pivoted on the breech-block and adapted to be engaged by the slidebar, a cooking lever pivoted on the starting lever and adapted to engagethe hammer, and a sear to engage the hammer.

10. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a breech-block movabletherein, a slide bar, a slide bar locking lever pivoted in the frame andnormally preventing movement of the slide bar and operated by therelative forward movement of the inertia block to actuate the lockinglever to release the slide bar and an inertia block having a safetylatch extended rearwardly and clownwardly through the frame in posit-ionto be pressed by the finger, whereby the slide bar locking lever isoperable by hand through the inertia block as well as by the relativemovement of the inertia block by the recoil.

11. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a breech-block movabletherein, a slide bar, a slide bar locking lever pivoted in the frame andnormally preventing movement of the slide bar, and an inertia blockhaving its rear portion yielding with respect to its forward portionforming a slide latch operable by hand to actuate the locking lever tprelease the slide bar.

I2. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a breech-block movabletherein, a slide bar, a slide bar locking lever pivoted in the frame andnormally preventing movement of the slide bar, an inertia block havingits rear portion yielding with respect to its forward portion forming aslide latch operable by hand to actuate the locking lever to release theslide bar, and means actuated by the relative movement of the inertiablock to actuate the locking lever to release the slide bar.

18. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a magazine tube, abreech-block, a cartridge stop movable longitudinally and pivoted in thebreech-block and having a lug at its rear end to prevent movementrearwardly into the frame of the last cartridge inserted in the magazinetube, and a spring acting upon the stop to press the same forward andpermitting it to yield rearwardly.

14. In a firearm, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, a sear, atrigger lever interposed between the trigger and the sear and movablerelatively thereto, said lever in one position engaging a relativelyfixed stop and being held thereby from effective movement and in itsother position being freed from said stop and in operative engagementwith the scar, and means to move said lever.

15. In a firearm, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, a sear, atrigger lever interposed between the trigger and the sear and movablerelatively thereto, said lever in one position engaging a relativelyfixed stop and being held thereby from effective movement and in itsother posit-ion being freed from said stop and in operative engagementwith the sear, and means to move said lever, and a safety latch engagingthe trigger lever to move the same into or out of operative posit-ion.

16. In a firearm, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, a sear, atrigger lever interposed between the trigger and the sear and movablerelatively thereto, and a safety latch engaging the trigger lever tomove the same into or out of operative position, said safety latch beingalso adapted to engage the trigger to prevent movement thereof.

17. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a breech-block movabletherein, a hammer, a sear, a trigger, and atrigger lever, thebreech-block and the trigger lever being formed for interengagement toprevent effective movement of the trigger lever except when thebreech-block is in firing position.

18. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a breech-block movabletherein, a hammer, a sear, a trigger, a trigger lever, the breech-blockand the trigger lever being formed for interengagement to preventeffective movement of the trigger lever except when the breech-block isin firing position, said trigger lever being movable independently ofthe trigger, and means to move said trigger lever into and out ofoperative posi tion.

19. In a firearm, the combination of a hammer, a sear, a trigger leveradapted to engage the sear and movable independently of the trigger,means to prevent effective movement of the trigger lever in oneposition, and means to move the trigger lever into and out of operativeposition.

20. In a firearm, the combination of a hammer, a sear, a pivotedtrigger, a trigger lever pivoted and movable longitudinally upon thepivot of the trigger, and a safety latch to move the trigger leverlongitudinally into and out of operative position, and also cooperatingwith the trigger to prevent or permit movement thereof.

21. In a firearm, the combination of a hammer, a sear, a pivotedtrigger, a trigger lever pivoted and movable longitudinally upon thepivot of the trigger, and a pivoted safety lock operable by hand andengaging the trigger lever to move the same into and out of operativeposition, and also cooperating with the trigger to prevent or permitmovement thereof.

22. In a firearm, the combination of a frame, a breech-block movablelongitudinally therein and having a longitudinal lip,

a hammer, a sear, a trigger, a trigger lever movable independently ofthe trigger and having a lug to cooperate with the sear when thebreech-block is in firing position and otherwise to rest upon the lip ofthe breechblock, and means to move the trigger lever .lip of thebreech-block.

24. In a firearm, the combination of a 7 frame, a breech-block movablelongitudinally therein and having a longitudinal lip, a hammer, a sear,a trigger and a trigger lever having two lugs to cooperate with the searwhen the breech-block is in firing position and to permit thelongitudinal lip of the breech-block to move freely between them.

This specification signed and witnessed this 15th day of December, A. D.1910'.

ED'WARD E. REDFIELD. Signed in the presence of- JOSEPH T. GRoBUsKY,MERRILL E. l/VEsoo'r'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, :0. o.

